Door check and closer



May 13 1952 c. GoDEREz 2,596,676

DooR CHECK Aub CLOSER Filed April 19, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

CAQL @Coma- W s2 m f v May 13, 1952 c. GoDERl-:z 2,596,676

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER Filed April 19, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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Tm CARI- @ODLREL www@ ATTORNEYS C. GODEREZ DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER May 13,1952

Filed April 19, 1949 3 .Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 7.

INVENTOR. CAPA. GODEJ-'Lil ATTORNEYS Patented May 13, 1952 DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER Carl Goderez, Brooklyn, N. Y., assigner to Cambridge Manufacturing Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 19, 1949,7Serial No. 88,421

My invention relates to a new and improved door check and closer.

According to my invention, I provide a simple and eiilcient door check and closer of the hydraulic type, which can be manufactured at low Y cost and easily applied.

Other objects of my invention will be s-tated in the annexed description and drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partially in vertical section, of the improved device of the first embodiment. The door D is shown in its open transverse position, in which it is perpendicular to the plane of the door-frame.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, showing the parts when the door D is fully closed. The door is not shown in this vie-W, because it is concealed in the door-frame.

Fig. 3 is another top plan View, showing the door in the open transverse position of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. l. When the door D is fully closed, the piston 24 is in its bottom broken-line position of Fig. 4. When door D is fully open, pisto-n 24 is in its top broken-line position of Fig. 4, which also shows an intermediate position of piston 24 in full lines.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial vertical section of the cylinder and its bottom cap, showing the piston 24 in a position intermediate its bottom broken-line position of Fig. 4 and its top brokenline position of Fig. 4. Fig. 5 illustrates the sealing position of the disc-valve or ilap-valve 25, during the closing movement of the door, during which piston 24 is moved downwardly. as illustrated by the vertical arrow in Fig. 5.

Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 5, showing the downward exing of the edge-portion yof the discvalve or flap-valve 26, when the piston 24 is moved upwardly during the opening movement of the door.'

Fig. Tisafront elevation which illustrates the second embodiment.

Fig. 8is a top View of Fig. '7.

In the first embodiment, but without restriction thereto, the wall I is planar and vertical, and it has a vertical and planar door-frame of rectangular shape in the iplane of said wall I.

Said door-frame has horizontal frame-membersl 2 and vertical frame-members 3.

The door D is planar in this embodiment and it is connected to one Vertical frame-member 3 by conventioned hinges H, so that the door D turns on a vertical axis. In this embodiment, door D has a planar panel P.

A bracket 5 is xed to the top horizontal framemember 2 by screws 6 o-r other fastening means. Rod R consists of two rod-sections 'I and 8, which are adjustably connected to each other, in order to vary the length of rod R.

The inner end of rod-section 'I is connected to bracket 5 by a universal joint 9, so that rod R can turn around a vertical axis at bracket 5, and rod R can also turn around a horizontal axis at bracket 5.

A forked joint-member I0 of this universal joint 9, is turnably connected to horizontal and transverse lugs of bracket 5 by a vertical pivotpinII, so that joint-member I0 can turn only around a vertical axis relative to bracket 5. A horizontal pivot-pin I2 is connected to the vertical and transverse lugs of joint-member I6. The rod-section 'I is turnably connected to horizontal pivot-pin I2 by an eye formed thereon. The only movement of rod R, relative to horizontal pivot-pin I2, is a turning movement around the horizontal axis of pivot-pin I2.

An eye I2a is fixed to the outer end of rod R. This eye I2a is interlaced or interlinked with another eye I4, which is fixed tothe upper or outer end of the long leg of an angular lever I5, which is pivotally connected by a horizontal pivot-pin I6 to the vertical leg of an angular bracket I'l. Said vertical leg of bracketIT vis fixed to door. D by screws I8 or other'v fastening means.

Said bracket I'I has a horizontal leg, whose end is of horizontal forked shape. The bottom cylinder-cap 2| is fixed air-tight and liquid-tight to therbottom end of cylinder 20 by cooperating threads. This bottom cylinder-cap 2I has a at web whichis located between the lugs of the horizontal leg of bracket I 'I. This fiat web of cylinder-cap 2l is connected to said lugs of bracket i'I by a horizontal pivot-pin I9. This pivot-pin I9 is optionally oiset relative -to the longitudinal axis of cylinder 20. The cylinder 20 can thus turn relative to bracket I1 and door D, around the horizontal axis of pivot pin Ill.

The bottom portion of cylinder 20 is filled with a pool of checking liquid, whose top level is indicated in Fig. 4 by the horizontal line 32. The top level 32 of this pool of checking liquid remains substantially at line 32 when the piston 24 is moved up or down.

The cylinder 20 has an integral wall which Y has an upper cylindrical wall-portion 20a which extends to the top of cylinder 20, and a bottom cylindrical wall-portion 20b which extends to the bottom of cylinder 20. The bottom'Wall-portion 20o is of greater diameter than the tcp` wallportion 20a.

A piston 24 is provided in cylinder 26. The diameter of the vertical edge or periphery of piston 24 is substantially equal to the diameter of top wall-portion 26a. The vertical edge or periphery of piston 24 may make a sealing fit or a close t with top wall-portion 20a, so that there is little or no passage of the checking liquid between the vertical periphery of cylinder 24 and the top wall-portion 20a. The checking liquid can flow easily through the clearance between the vertical edge or periphery of piston 24 and bottom wall-portion 20h. Y

The piston 24 is provided with a circular Vrow of holes 2'I. The underside of piston 24 is provided with a disc-valve or flap-valve 26,'whichV is made of any suitable resilient sealing material. This nap-valve 26 is maintained by its resilience in the normal shape of Fig. 5. in which it seals orsubstantially seals the holes 21.

The piston 24 is xed to the lower end of piston rod 22. The lower end of piston rod 22 has a reduced bottom end-portion which extends through a central bore of piston 24 and through an alined central bore of flapevalve 26. An internal annular shoulder of piston rod'22 abuts the top planer surface of piston 24. The bottom end-portion of piston rod 22 is externally threaded. A clamping nut 25 clamps the ilapvalve 26 and piston 24 to piston rod 22. This bottom end-portion of piston rod 22 optionally has a vertical recess or bore 26, which opens into an optional horizontal bore 29 above piston 24.

At its upper end, a cap 23 is xed to cylinder 26. This cap 23 has a vertical bore, through which piston rod 22 extends. The piston rod .22 fits closely and slidably in the'bore of cap 23. This fit need not be air-tight, although it may optionally be an air-tight fit or a substantially air-tight t.

The upper end of piston rod 22 is turnably connected to the short arm |50. `of lever I by a horizontal pivot pin 3l.

The cylinder 2l] is lled with air above the top level 32 of the pool of .checking liquid. This air may be at the same pressure as that of the atmosphere external to cylinder A2il,.when piston 24 is in its bottom position which is shown. in broken lines in Fig. 4. When piston 24 is moved above said bottom position, the air may be compressed to any desired pressure.V This Vair pressure is preferably slight.

A compression spring 36 normally maintains piston -24 in its bottom position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 4, which corresponds to the completely closed position of the door D in Fig. 2.

When the door D is completely closed, and as shown in Fig. 2, the lever I5 is in a vertical transverse plane which is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the common plane of the closed door D and wall I. The rod R is then in a vertical plane which is inclined away from hinge I-I, relative to the transverse vertical plane of'lever I5.

When door D is fully closed, the axis ofv cylinder 20 is vertical, the pivot pin 3| is close to the top of cap 23, the long arm of lever I5 is upwardly p inclined from pivot pin I6, and rod Lis inclined upwardly relative tothe long arm'of lever I5. The axis of the short arm I5a of lever I5 isthen substantially vertical.

When the door is moved between its completely closed position and its transverse open position cylinder 20 below piston 24.

of Fig. 1, there is only a slight turning movement of cylinder 20 around the axis of pivot pin I9, which is oiset laterally relative to the common axis of cylinder 20 and the piston rod 22.

The drawings are substantially to scale and accurately show the positions of the parts when door D is fullyclosed and in transverse open position, and reference tothe drawings is made for further disclosure.

Opening movement of door When door D is fully closed, piston 24 is in its bottom broken-line position of Fig. 4. with the bottom endgof piston-rod 22 close to the inner wall of bottom'cap 2I. The compression and resilience of the nap-valve 26 maintains its edgeportion nin the normal sealing position of Figs. 4 and 5, in which flap-valve 26 seals or substantially seals the holes 21. The compression spring 30 keeps the door closed. Said compression spring 30 may be under any selected compression when door Dis closed.v

When door D is opened, a transverse thrust-is exerted at pivot pin I6 upon lever I5. Said pivot pin I6 is located laterally ati any desired distance from the vertical hinges H. This thrust exerts an upward tilting force upon lever vI5 and rod R. so that the pivot point of intersection between their interlinked eyes I2 and I4 moves upwardly and transversely towards wall I. While the rod R is thus upwardly turned about the horizontal axis of pivot-pin I2, the inner end of rod R also turns around the vertical axis of. pivot-pin II.

While the piston 24 is located in the bottom wall-portion 2b, the checking liquid flows easily around the edge of piston 24, during the upward movement of piston 24 in said bottom wall-portion 2Gb.

In one commercial model, and as one example to which the invention is not limited, the length of spring 30 is 5.5 inches, and said spring 30 exerts a force of 20 pounds when piston 24 is in its bottom position, and said spring 3D exerts a force of 60 pounds when the door D is in the transversepopen position of Figs. l and 2.

During the upward movement of piston 24 in bottom wall-portion 26h, the free flow of the checking liquid around the edge of piston 24 may-prevent any substantiall downward pressure on the edge-portion of flap-valve 26, so that its compression under clamping nut 25 and its resilience will maintain said edge-portion of flapvalve 26 in the normalsealing positionfof Fig. 5.

Also, the optional vertical bore 28 and vthe optional horizontal bore 29 of piston-rod 22 provide relief-means between the chamber of cylinder 20 above piston V24, and the chamber of The sealing edge of nap-valve 26 may be flexed to its non-sealing position of Fig. 6, even while piston 24 is located in bottom wall-portion 20h. This will depend, among other factors, uponthe speed of opening of door D. A vslight excess of pressure in the chamber above the pistonv 24 :will flex the edge-portion of ap-valve26 to said non-sealing position of Fig..6. Y,

There is optionally but not necessarily a .suf-

ficiently close fit between piston rod 22 and the bore of top-cap 23, so that the air in cylinder 20, above the pool of checking'liquid, will be compressed during the upward movement `of piston 24, if the checking liquid cannot flow at sufficient speed from above piston 24, to below piston 24. This excess air pressure will'be suicient to flex the edge-portion of nap-valve `tion of Fig. 5.

.26- to non-sealing position. Hence, the'pool of -30 is a maximum, when door D is fully closed.

and said leverage decreases as the door D is opened. Hence, as the compression of spring 3i] is increased during the opening movement of door -D, the effect of the increase fin longitudinal force of spring 3i) is counterbalanced, at least to some extent, by the decrease Vin leverage of the closing force of spring 30. y

' In the illustrative commercial embodiment above specifically described, the length of rod R is 8 inches, the length of the long arm ofA lever I5 is 8 inches, and the length ofthe short varm lia, in a direction perpendicular tothe long arm of lever I5, is one inch.` f Y In vthis embodiment, the door D is open to its maximum extent when said doorfisv in transverse position and turned 90 from-its closed position, because door D thenabuts the trans-- verse wall which is adjacent wall I.

During the opening movement of door D, the pivot-pin 3| turns from a position at one side of pivot-pin I 6, to a position at the other side of pivot-pin I6. In this embodiment, the lever IS-I5a is turned through an angle of 120 in a vertical plane, between the open and closed positions of door D.

I When door D has been fully turned to its open position through an angle of 90? around'the vertical axis of hinges I-I, the piston 24 is still Aimmersed in the pool of checking liquid as shown by the top broken-line position of piston -24 in Fig. 4. The part of pistonrod 22 which extends above the cylinder 20 in the fully open position of door D, is never immersed in the pool of checkloptionally omitted, in which case. the wall-portion 20a. will extend from the top of cylinder 20 to its bottom.

Closing movement of door f' This is illustrated in Fig.,5. As soon as piston 24 is moved downwardly under the force of spring 30. when the door D is released so that it can close, the edge-portion of flap-valve 26 will be held by its resilience and the slight excess of pressure below the piston 24, in its sealing posi- The closing movement of door D is then regulated by the flow of the checking liquid through the optional relief bores 28 and 29.

The invention is not limited to the relief passage 28-29, ybecause such relief passages may be omitted by providing a slight clearance, as 0.005 inch, between the periphery of piston 24 and the inner wall 20a of cylinder 20.

The flap-valve 26 is an example of a one-way valve which is closed during the closing move- 6 ment of the door D, and which'is'opened during the opening movement of the door D, Vand the invention is not limited to this preferredtype of one-way valve. Y

The invention includes the sub-combinations disclosed herein. It is noted that the eye of rod-section 1 mounted on pin I2 can turn around a horizontal axis relative to eye I4, in addition tothe vertical turning movement of the eye of rod-section 1 mounted on pin I2 relative to eye I4. Hence said eyes exemplify a universal joint.

The door D may be provided with conventional means for holding it in fully open or partially open position.

The checking liquid may Vbe of any height in cylinder 20, and the pool of checking liquid may even wholly fill cylinder 20..

Although the cylinder 20 is not in truly vertical position at all times, said cylinder 20 always remains in upstanding position.

In the second embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8,

the door D has an outwardly bulging panel Pa, v

instead of the planar panel P of the first embodiment. Y v l l In this second embodiment, the door D is a supplemental door which is hingedly connected to another main or supporting door, which provides a frame having frame elements 2a and V3a, for door D.V The door D can swing outwardly relative to said supporting door, which is hingedlyconnected to a suitable frame. The doorD, in this second embodiment, therefore provides a panel which can turn outwardly relative to the supporting door. 'f In the second embodiment, similar parts are designated by the same referenceV numerals as in the first embodiment. In this second embodiment, the lever i5 is replaced by a lever 33, which has an arm 33a, and a cylindrical part 33h. The top panel of the frame of the door D is provided with a bracket 34 which is xed to said top panel by screws 35 or other suitable fastening means. The cylindrical hub 33h is pivotally connected to the lugs .37 of this bracket 34, by means of a pivot pin or pivot pins 3S. This cylindrical hub 33h is provided with lugs 33o. The upper yend of the piston rod 22 is located between said lugs 33e, and a pivotal connection is provided by means of a pivot pin 3 I, as in the first embodiment. kThe bracket 34 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 7, has a bottom portion. The bottom cylinder cap 2l is pivotally connected to this bottom portion of the bracket 34 in the saine manner as in the rst embodiment. Figs. 7 and 8 show the door yD in its fully Iclosed position. The operation of the second embodiment is the vvsame as that of the rst embodiment. Y

Inl this second embodiment, the corflplession spring 30 may be supplemented or replaced by a torsion spring in cylinder 33h. In this second .embodiment, rod Rand lever 33a. turn through an angle of between the fullyvclosed and fully open position of door D. f V

In each embodiment the bracket.Vv 5 is fixed or intended and .adapted tobe iixed to a longitudinal face ofthe door whose movement is to becheckd.

I have shown preferred embodiments. of my invention, but numerous changes land omissions and additions can wbe made without departing from. its scope.

I claim: y l-. In a door-check-and closer, the v subcoml'xination of a bracket, a cylinder pivotally connected to said bracket, `,said bracket being adapted and Y'I intended to be xed to a longitudinal face of a doonsaid cylinder 'being transversely tiltable Arelative to saidA door when said bracket is xed to said door, a piston slidably located in said cylinder, a-piston rod fixed to said piston and hav- .i

ond clfiarnberv between said piston. and the other end ciy .said cylinder, relief passage-means con.- necting said chambers and adapted to permitthe flow of-a :checking liquid from said first chamber to said second chamber when said piston is moved towards said other end of said cylinder, additional .passage-means betweensaid chambers,` a'movable one-Way-valve located 'to control the `flow of checking liquid through said additional passage-meansvsaid valve being biased to closing position, said valve being opened by pressure in said rst chamber over said second chamber when said piston is moved away from said other end, spring-means connected operatively to said piston and urging it towards said other end, a lever pivotally connected between its ends to said bracket, said lever being also pivotally connected to said rod-part, the free end of said lever being connected by a universal joint to the outer end of a rod, and universal joint means adapted to connect the inner end of said rod to a frame member of said door. f

' 2.` In a door-check and closer, the combination ofa bracket adapted to be xed to a longitudinal face of a door, a cylinder, said cylinder being piv-i otally connected to said bracket and being transversely tiltable relative to said door, a piston slidably located in-said cylinder, a piston rod fixed to said piston` and having a rod-part which extends outwardly of one respective end of said cylinder, said cylinder having a first chamber between said piston and said end of said cylinder and having a second chamber between said piston and the other end of said cylinder, relief passage-means connecting Vsaid chambers and adapted to permit thevflow of a checking liquid from said rst chamber to said second chamber when said piston is moved towards said other end of said cylinder,

additional passage-means between said chambers,

a Vmovable one-way valve located to control the Vnow of checking liquid through said additional passage-means, said valve being biased to closing position, said valve being opened by pressure-in said rst chamber in excessof pressure in said second chamber when said piston is moved `away from said other end', spring means which urge-said door' to closing position and which urge said piston-'towards said other end, a lever pivotally connected between its ends to said 'bracket at va rst selected pivot-point, said lever being pivotally connected at a second selected pivot poi-nt vto said rod-part, a primary universal joint connected to the free end of said lever, a secondary ljoint adapted to be connected to the frame of said door, and a connecting rod linked to said universal joints.

i3; A combination according to claim 2, in which said `relief passage-means -are provided in said piston rod. said additional passage-means are providedinfsaid piston, and said one-way valve is'connected to-'said piston-rod.

4. A combination according to claim 2', in" which said door is mounted to turn on a vertical axis, said' cylinder is upstanding in all positions of saiddoor, said rod-part extends above said cylmder. 'said second selected pivot point is below said rst selected point. when the Vdoorfis closed and said second selected pivot point is'l above said rst selected pivotpoint when the door is open, and said other frame element Vis located above said door.

5. A combination according to claim 2, inv which said door is mounted to turn on a vertical axis. said cylinder is upstanding in all positions of said door, said rod-part extends above said cyl'- inder, said second-selected pivot-point is below Said iirstvseleoted point whenthe door is closed and said second selectedpivot point-is above vsaid iirst selected'pivot point when the door is open and turned substantially from its closed position. and said other rframe element is located above said door, said second pivot point being located relativieto said iirst; pivot point so that said second ypivot point turns through anarc of substantially between the closed and open positions of the door.

' 6. A combination according to claim 2, in which said door is mounted to turn on a vertical axis,v said cylinder is upstanding in all positions of said door, said rod-part extends above said cylinder, said second selected pivot-point is below said rst selected point when. the door yisclosed and said second `selected pivot point is above said first selected pivot point when the door is open and turned substantially 90 from its closed position,- vand said other frame element* is located above said door, said secondfpivot point being located relative to said iirst'pivot point so that said second pivot point turns through kan arc ofY substantially 120 between the closed andopen positions of the door, the free end of said lever turning through an arc of substantially .120 between the closed and open positions of the door.

7. A combination according to claim 2', in which said door is mounted to turn on a vertical axis, said cylinder is upstanding in all positions of said door, saidrod-part extends abovesaid-cylinder,` said second selected pivot point is below said rstselected point when the door is closed and said second selected pivot point is above said rst selected pivot lpoint when the door is opened, and said other frame element is located above said. door, the checking liquid only partially lling the cylinder and being always-at the lower end of said cylinder, the rod-part which extends above said cylinder when said door is open-being above said checking liquid when said door is closed, the piston rod having a sufficiently close t in the respective end of the cylinderfto create excess pressure, in said rst-,chamber to open said valve when said pistonis moved towards said respective end. y Y

8. A sub-combination according to claim 1, in which the pivotal connection between said cylinder and said bracket is offset relative to the axis of` said cylinder.

GoDEREz.

REFERENCES' `errato The following references are of record inthe ile of this patent:

Great Britain Mar'. 12`.1`936 

